SEND

Special Educational Needs and Disabilities

At Holy Trinity Church of England Primary School, we want all children to be able to achieve their full potential in all areas of their development. In order to do this we provide a broad and balanced curriculum for all pupils.  We know that some children sometimes find it more difficult to achieve certain activities than others.  They may have Special Educational Needs.  Also, a child may have a Disability that requires extra support.

Children have Special Educational Needs (SEN) if they:

• have a significantly greater difficulty in learning than the majority of children of the same age;
• have a disability which prevents or hinders them from making use of educational facilities of a kind generally provided for children of the same age. This may relate to impairments in communication and interaction, cognition and learning, behavioural, emotional and social development, or sensory or physical needs.

For children who have a specific learning difficulty or a disability, our Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) policy outlines the educational support we provide – this is often referred to as our ‘SEND Offer’, see our SEN policy detailed below. This provision is alongside the Lancashire Local Offer.

Around a child, there are a number of different people who all can play an important role in helping them to overcome barriers and help them to achieve their full potential. The role of each is listed here:

The role of the child

Every individual child and their learning is at the heart of all we do. With great teaching, support and guidance, we expect all children in our school to achieve their full potential. Children’s role is to participate fully in the teaching and learning process. They should listen carefully, contribute ideas and answers, try their very best in their independent learning and seek help when they need it. Children should also follow our school rules – this applies to all children, all the time.

The role of the parent / carer

Parents are vital partners in the child’s journey through school and are invited to attend review meetings of their child’s progress. For example, this could be a parents’ / carer’s evening appointment or a meeting with the class teacher and Mrs Driver, the SENCO – SEN Co-ordinator. Where the child has more complex needs, parents / carers are also invited to annual reviews which may involve other professionals. We expect parents / carers to engage with school and to support their child’s learning at home. Central to this is hearing their child read on a daily basis, making sure their child learns spellings and tables and helping with homework tasks.

The role of the teacher and teaching assistant

All our children are treated as individuals and the class teacher, alongside support staff, plan an appropriately differentiated curriculum for children. This ensures high quality teaching and learning with effective support and resources. When needed, we put in place targets, plans and appropriate provision to meet the additional needs of children with SEN. We review these regularly. Assessments are carried out to ensure children are on track to meet targets and that planning accurately addresses their needs. Progress and plans are regularly reviewed and evaluated to inform next steps.

Staff ensure that their classrooms are stimulating and provide prompts and challenges for all pupils. Children with SEN benefit from the ‘learning wall’ displays and the posters around class which remind them of spelling rules, writing genres, vocabulary etc.

The role of school leaders

All SEN provision is overseen by Mrs Ksenia Driver. She is assisted by Mrs Jackie Ward and Associate SENDCO and Specialist Teacher. She is supported by Alison Whitaker, the Headteacher who has overall responsibility for assessment in school and therefore monitors the progress. Together, they monitor, review and evaluate all SEN provision on a regular basis throughout the year. They set high expectations for all pupils and staff.

Leaders ensure that the school’s physical environment is as appropriate and accessible as possible, within the means and confines of the school building – see Accessibility and Equality information.

The role of outside agencies

With the needs of the child at the heart of what we do, we may seek support from other agencies. This would be when we need specific or substantially greater help such as advice from Educational Psychologists, the School Nurse, Specialist Teachers, Speech and Language Service and other external agencies.

Further Information

Please feel free to contact the school if you have any questions or concerns.